Beer Line too long?

I did some research and couldnt find the answer.....

I know the issues with beer lines being too short, but is it possible to have beer lines that are too long? I currently have my fridge set to 44 degress (i like my beer warmer) and just started serving an irish red, carbonated to 2.2 volumes. The keg is attached to 8ft of 3/16" beer line, and set to 11 PSI. When i pour the beer, i get no head whatsoever. I have not had an issues on any of my other beers with head retention and I am trying to figure out the culprit.

The only things I can think of right now are the beer line cutting down too much of the pressure (the beer does come out tasting well carbonated) or a bad cold break/chill haze that is affecting the head retention. I cant think of anything else at the moment....

How long have you had this on gas? I find that with beers that have lower carbonation (I concider 2.2 somewhat low), it can take an extra week or so to get it right. Your lines are fine. The only thing long lines should do is give you a slower pour. Unless your lines are warm, I can't see 8 ft. lines allowing carbonation to come out of solution before it hits your glass.

8ft of 1/4" is very low resistance, so that isn't your problem. I run 12' of 3/16ths.

I put it on 30 psi for about 24 hours, took the gas off and put it back to another keg so I could serve. I let it sit in the fridge for another week or so, and would give it blasts of about 15 psi until the gas stopped flowing. I figured this would keep up the pressure in the headspace and compensate for the co2 that was absorbed by the beer. Maybe ill just have to let it sit longer. However, I did have this same issues with an ESB carbed to the same level.....

david_42 said:

8ft of 1/4" is very low resistance, so that isn't your problem. I run 12' of 3/16ths.

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Correction, its 3/16, not 1/4. I edited my post....

chode720 said:

I put it on 30 psi for about 24 hours, took the gas off and put it back to another keg so I could serve. I let it sit in the fridge for another week or so, and would give it blasts of about 15 psi until the gas stopped flowing. I figured this would keep up the pressure in the headspace and compensate for the co2 that was absorbed by the beer. Maybe ill just have to let it sit longer. However, I did have this same issues with an ESB carbed to the same level.....

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This is your problem. You're not carbonating, you're basically just sealing the keg. In order to carbonate, you have to leave it on constant gas. You should never be turning the gas off either. Throughout the life of the keg, it should be at a constant pressure of 12-15psi depending on your temperature.

On a side note, I suggest dumping the 24 hour 30psi method. I think people do this to rush things, but I would say 75% of the time you'll end up overcarbonating the beer. Then you have to waste extra time releasing pressure, warming the keg, and starting over.

Regardless of what people tell you, it will always take 2-3 weeks to reach peak flavor in a keg. That means you might as well set it at 12psi and forget about it for a few weeks. It will be carbonated in a week, but it will taste much better after 3.

I think it did more than just seal the keg, b/c it was adequately carbonated from the first pour. I left it on 30 psi for about 24 hours, then turned it down to 15 (what i was serving another keg at). When i would want to serve that beer, I would disconnect the gas, hook it up to serving keg, pour the pint, let the gas refill the keg, and put the line back onto the carbonating keg. I did this for about a week.

Are you saying that I cant take the line off a keg I am serving that is fully carbonated and use it to carbonated another keg? As long as I put the line back on when I want to pour, there shouldnt be an issue, right?

chode720 said:

I think it did more than just seal the keg, b/c it was adequately carbonated from the first pour. I left it on 30 psi for about 24 hours, then turned it down to 15 (what i was serving another keg at). When i would want to serve that beer, I would disconnect the gas, hook it up to serving keg, pour the pint, let the gas refill the keg, and put the line back onto the carbonating keg. I did this for about a week.

Are you saying that I cant take the line off a keg I am serving that is fully carbonated and use it to carbonated another keg? As long as I put the line back on when I want to pour, there shouldnt be an issue, right?

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Assuming the keg is sealed and not leaking, and not being used to pour a beer when it's not hooked up, it should be fine. That's once it's carbed up completely, of course, and the pressure in the keg stays at 11 psi or whatever your serving pressure is.

chode720 said:

I think it did more than just seal the keg, b/c it was adequately carbonated from the first pour. I left it on 30 psi for about 24 hours, then turned it down to 15 (what i was serving another keg at). When i would want to serve that beer, I would disconnect the gas, hook it up to serving keg, pour the pint, let the gas refill the keg, and put the line back onto the carbonating keg. I did this for about a week.

Are you saying that I cant take the line off a keg I am serving that is fully carbonated and use it to carbonated another keg? As long as I put the line back on when I want to pour, there shouldnt be an issue, right?

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The problem with blasting some CO2 into the beer and then taking it off is that the beer will absorb the CO2 and it will no longer have the Xpsi you blasted into it until you hook it up again. You may have thought your carb level was right on your first pour, but you don't know that you're actually to 2.2 volumes. You could put a pressure gauge on it, and if it's holding your serving pressure after 24-48 hours without the gas hooked up, then you're probably to carb level.

another vote to keep the pressure on at all times. why not? if you're afraid of a leak, its going to be there when you are serving too.

keep it under 11psi 24/7 so it fully carbs. it should be fine if you let it ride this way a few days.

Gremlyn1 said:

The problem with blasting some CO2 into the beer and then taking it off is that the beer will absorb the CO2 and it will no longer have the Xpsi you blasted into it until you hook it up again. You may have thought your carb level was right on your first pour, but you don't know that you're actually to 2.2 volumes. You could put a pressure gauge on it, and if it's holding your serving pressure after 24-48 hours without the gas hooked up, then you're probably to carb level.

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If it wasn't clear in my post, I'm NOT advocating doing that! I'm just saying that in theory it might possibly work.

I keep my gas on all the time, and have perfect pours all the time. Until the keg kicks, and then I cry.

YooperBrew said:

If it wasn't clear in my post, I'm NOT advocating doing that! I'm just saying that in theory it might possibly work.

I keep my gas on all the time, and have perfect pours all the time. Until the keg kicks, and then I cry.

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The only reason I have been switching is because I only have 3 gas lines. I figure that when i need to carbonate a keg, i take the line of another already carbonated keg, and hook it up to the uncarbonated one, then when i want to serve the other one, just switch the gas line over and move it back.

I tried the quick carbonation method and wasnt pleased with the results.....time to let it carbonate and age for a couple weeks while serving others....

chode720 said:

The only reason I have been switching is because I only have 3 gas lines. I figure that when i need to carbonate a keg, i take the line of another already carbonated keg, and hook it up to the uncarbonated one, then when i want to serve the other one, just switch the gas line over and move it back.

I tried the quick carbonation method and wasnt pleased with the results.....time to let it carbonate and age for a couple weeks while serving others....

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Oh, I understand and I think it'll be fine. I was just saying that it's not the best situation, but I'm sure you know that every time you have to switch the damn lines!

I also used to use the slam it high then turn it down later method and had issues at pouring time. I now leave it at least a week at serving pressure and have consistently great pours all the time. It takes the guess work out of it. At first I didnt have a fridge either and just used my wine cellar which usually stayed around 55* and I could never get my beer carbed right at those temps.

YooperBrew said:

Oh, I understand and I think it'll be fine. I was just saying that it's not the best situation, but I'm sure you know that every time you have to switch the damn lines!

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Exactly! We'll see how it works. With the regulator I have, I can add extra gauges to it. Maybe in a few months, if i get sick of always switching lines, ill put in a 4th regulator for carbing.

YooperBrew said:

If it wasn't clear in my post, I'm NOT advocating doing that! I'm just saying that in theory it might possibly work.

I keep my gas on all the time, and have perfect pours all the time. Until the keg kicks, and then I cry.

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I know YOU don't do that, I was explaining to chode why not to

chode720 said:

Exactly! We'll see how it works. With the regulator I have, I can add extra gauges to it. Maybe in a few months, if i get sick of always switching lines, ill put in a 4th regulator for carbing.

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Or, a cheaper solution is a Y fitting. Put the fitting on and split the line. I have a distributor for 4 kegs, and then a WYE for one, so I have 4 kegs at the same pressure, and two at carbonation pressure, if I choose.

If my explanation is poor (very likely!), I mean that I have two primary regularators. One goes to a distributor with 4 lines coming out. One has a WYE with two lines. So, 4 kegs have to be at the same pressure, and two have to be at the same pressure.

You don't need another regulator (unless you want one). A WYE or a distributor works fine, too.

YooperBrew said:

Or, a cheaper solution is a Y fitting. Put the fitting on and split the line. I have a distributor for 4 kegs, and then a WYE for one, so I have 4 kegs at the same pressure, and two at carbonation pressure, if I choose.

If my explanation is poor (very likely!), I mean that I have two primary regularators. One goes to a distributor with 4 lines coming out. One has a WYE with two lines. So, 4 kegs have to be at the same pressure, and two have to be at the same pressure.

You don't need another regulator (unless you want one). A WYE or a distributor works fine, too.

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Yea, the gas splitter is def cheaper. My only concern is about different pressures. I carbonate my beers to all different ranges. For instance, I have an english brown to be kegged now that I will probably carb and serve around 8 psi. However, my other kegs are at 12-17psi. So i would have to either over carb a bit for my taste or carbonate it for a couple weeks, and then when i kick a keg, vent the brown, and set the pressure to about 8. It will be overcarbed the first few pours, but then should drop after that

YooperBrew said:

If it wasn't clear in my post, I'm NOT advocating doing that! I'm just saying that in theory it might possibly work.

I keep my gas on all the time, and have perfect pours all the time. Until the keg kicks, and then I cry.

Click to expand...

chode720 said:

Yea, the gas splitter is def cheaper. My only concern is about different pressures. I carbonate my beers to all different ranges. For instance, I have an english brown to be kegged now that I will probably carb and serve around 8 psi. However, my other kegs are at 12-17psi. So i would have to either over carb a bit for my taste or carbonate it for a couple weeks, and then when i kick a keg, vent the brown, and set the pressure to about 8. It will be overcarbed the first few pours, but then should drop after that

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The only reliable way to do that is with to regulators... You may not have to buy a new setup though, a lot of regs can be added on to.

It's rare to need more than 1/2 the number of pressures as kegs you have. Example, I have 5 keg positions and up to three different pressures. I rarely ever set all three regs to different pressures. It's usually one oddball like a Wit at 4 volumes or an ESB at 2 volumes while the other four kegs are at 2.8 volumes or so.

When you originally said you were carbed to 2.2 volumes, I thought it was from keeping 44F beer at 11psi for a few weeks. The truth is, your volumes could be just about anything right now. If you disconnect the gas and put a pressure gauge directly on the gas port of the keg, you can get an idea of the volumes by watching the pressure over time. If the pressure goes down below 11psi in a day or so, you're not at 2.2 vols yet.

Gremlyn1 said:

The only reliable way to do that is with to regulators... You may not have to buy a new setup though, a lot of regs can be added on to.

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I bought mine for that reason and already added 1 on. I think I will go with the splitter as it's a lot cheaper and Bobby M is right. I have 2 beers at the same pressure right now and generally always have 2 that are really close

oops.......